Hummingbirds in The Villages

[gomoho]

Thinking of putting a feeder out and am curious is anyone has regular hummers coming to their feeders. If so, what Village are you in??? Haven't
seen a single one since I arrived a year ago and miss them terribly.:sad:

[BoSueGT]

Saw one today for the first time here by our bottle brush tree. We don't have a feeder for them (yet). Would love to see more.
We live in Sanibel.

[Uptown Girl]

Don't have feeders, but a number of my neighbors (in Tamarind Grove) have Plumbago, Firecracker plant (Russelia) and Tropical Hibiscus in their yards and hummers seem to love these plants.
I have seen multiples of them at a time, something I never saw before coming here! They are lovely.

[mfp509]

I saw one at my Firecracker plant one day - I live in Calumet Grove.

[Hancle704]

A friend in Alhambra had them quite often in evening when their Night Blooming Jasmine was in full flower.

[jimbo2012]

I read that U should not use feeders, they have problems with ants, bees, racoons, bats bacteria and when U forget to refill the birds can get in trouble losing their source of food.

Also don't just fill wash it out at least once a week, more often in hot weather.

Hummingbirds can be easily poisoned by detergents, soaps or household cleaners. Only clean feeders with vinegar added to hot water.

It was recommended to only use plants that they like.

Plants that bloom at different times during the flowering season to furnish food for them during spring, summer and fall.

Trumpet Honeysuckle
Fire Bush (Hamelia patens)
Giant Cigar Plant (Cuphea melvillea)
Salvia Guarantica
Black & Blue
Coral Porterweed
Bright Red Pentas
Ugly Shrimp Plant
Powder Puff
Tropical Sage

Spring Bloomers
Azaleas, rhododendrons and rose of sharon bushes make a great setting for hummingbird gardens. They flower early in the spring and keep on blooming through the early summer. Pink and bright red varieties are preferred, but hummingbirds love all rose of sharon types.

Summer Bloomers
Bleeding hearts and red mountain columbine flower in the early summer, also salvias, petunias, trumpet honeysuckle, morning glories, trumpet vines and impatiens, all of which catch hummingbirds. A wide scope of shade patterned impatiens is an effective attraction for hummingbirds, who hunt by sight.

Autumn Bloomers
Butterfly bush, garden phlox, day lilies, bee-balm and impatiens all will keep hummingbirds returning through the autumn and entice late migrators.

[cquick]

ya know what's great? All those plants that attract hummingbirds also attract butterflies, so it's a win-win garden!

[kittygilchrist]

I read that U should not use feeders, they have problems with ants, bees, racoons, bats bacteria and when U forget to refill the birds can get in trouble losing their source of food.

Also don't just fill wash it out at least once a week, more often in hot weather.

Hummingbirds can be easily poisoned by detergents, soaps or household cleaners. Only clean feeders with vinegar added to hot water.

It was recommended to only use plants that they like.

Plants that bloom at different times during the flowering season to furnish food for them during spring, summer and fall.

Trumpet Honeysuckle
Fire Bush (Hamelia patens)
Giant Cigar Plant (Cuphea melvillea)
Salvia Guarantica
Black & Blue
Coral Porterweed
Bright Red Pentas
Ugly Shrimp Plant
Powder Puff
Tropical Sage

Spring Bloomers
Azaleas, rhododendrons and rose of sharon bushes make a great setting for hummingbird gardens. They flower early in the spring and keep on blooming through the early summer. Pink and bright red varieties are preferred, but hummingbirds love all rose of sharon types.

Summer Bloomers
Bleeding hearts and red mountain columbine flower in the early summer, also salvias, petunias, trumpet honeysuckle, morning glories, trumpet vines and impatiens, all of which catch hummingbirds. A wide scope of shade patterned impatiens is an effective attraction for hummingbirds, who hunt by sight.

Autumn Bloomers
Butterfly bush, garden phlox, day lilies, bee-balm and impatiens all will keep hummingbirds returning through the autumn and entice late migrators.

all the cautions are true, but watching hummerwars against wasps at the feeder is fun. When hummers chitter at each other, it sounds cute, but I suspect they are saying, "I saw it first you ugly so and so"

I moved from near woods where I trapped 3 coons and 3 possums in the yard after the coons ransacked my feeder. nasty tempered critters.
Did you know hummers are also insectivores? So they snap up flying insects, which is fine with me.

[gomoho]

I have dealt with the ant issue - always caused by a dripping, leaking feeder that attracts them. I am extremely fastidious about the condition of the feeder and make my own nectar. Had at least 15 regulars that came daily to my home in New Mexico. The dogs would just lie there and not even notice their activity. It truly was awesome.

[CFrance]

I saw one at my Firecracker plant one day - I live in Calumet Grove.

Me too! In Tamarind Grove. I hope to see more, as we have all the plants Uptown Girl mentioned. I'm reluctant to put a feeder out because of ants.

[jpharmat]

What kind of Hummingbirds are in the Villages? Here in Mass. we only have Ruby Throated Hummingbirds.